The Florida State baseball team is less than two weeks away from first pitch on Feb. 18 against James Madison.

The Seminoles, who are the preseason pick to win the ACC this year, will be powered by one of the nation's top pitching staffs. They return a strong arsenal of arms, as well as a few high-profile recruits.

Warchant.com recently sat down with pitching coach Jimmy Belanger to talk about those top returners, including reigning ACC Pitcher of the Year Parker Messick, and the team overall.

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“I think we knew some of the things we had coming back on the mound, what would be coming back,” Belanger said. “But I thought Coach Metcalf (recruiting coordinator Mike Metcalf) and Coach Martin (head coach Mike Martin Jr.) did a really good job of filling some needs that we have positionally; we lost some position players. Defensively, I think we’ve improved. We added some really good bats in there. Some leadership and some older guys, and we have a really good freshman group.”

Long before he joined Martin’s inaugural staff in 2020, Belanger was a pitcher at Louisville in the late 2000s under the same successful Cardinals staff that still remains to this day.

With Louisville now in the ACC, Belanger faces off against his alma mater each year and will do so again in mid-April when the Cardinals come to Dick Howser Stadium for a weekend series.

“I enjoy it. I’d like beating them a little bit more than I have. When I was at Kentucky [as an assistant], they beat us a couple times; they beat us in a Super Regional. But I enjoy it. My wife is from Louisville,” Belanger said. “Obviously, I played for Coach [Dan] McDonnell and Coach [Roger] Williams, so getting a chance to see those guys. They’re the reason I do what I do. Getting a chance to see them is great.”

When it comes to the FSU rotation in 2022, Belanger has an arsenal of arms to choose from.

“On the mound, if we stay healthy, we have a chance to have a really good staff. We have some guys with really good experience, and then we have some guys who maybe didn’t pitch as much last year that are really talented,” Belanger said. “We have a long ways to go, but we have talent in place and we have some good leadership at the top. So we've got a chance.”

Star left-hander Parker Messick, who enters his third year on the team, is one of the better returning aces in the country.

“He's just super consistent,” Belanger said. “He shows up every day -- you know what you’re getting out of him every single day. “

FSU also brings back starting pitcher Bryce Hubbart, a third-team All-ACC selection who settled in as the second weekend arm with 14 starts last season. Belanger said Hubbart has addressed his small weaknesses from 2021 and improved upon them this offseason.

“He’s really cleaned up his delivery; he’s done a good job with his mobility. That was something he’s really attacked. I can really see the difference with that. Early on, he’s throwing a lot of strikes,” Belanger said. “Bryce has really good stuff. He doesn’t usually get hit. His issues in the past weren’t him getting hit around the ballpark, it was when he would get in trouble with his pitch count.”

There are a slew of names in contention for starting opportunities on Sunday and during mid-week games, along with heavy competition in the bullpen.

One very familiar name FSU returns out of the bullpen is senior Jonah Scolaro, boasting a wealth of experience with 92 career appearances across four seasons with the ’Noles.

“You can’t replace that,” Belanger said. “When you’re playing leagues like the ACC and SEC, experience is key. And he has a lot of it. There’s a lot of peace of mind as a coach being able to put him out there in a big spot. You know the moment is not too big.”

Like most teams around the country with the season yet to begin, the back end of FSU’s staff is not yet set in stone. But Belanger is very optimistic about the options.

“What I’ve noticed there are a lot of guys who want it. They’re pushing for it and I can see it,” Belanger said. “Every time they go out and throw, these preseason outings are meaningful. They’re not just going out to get their pitch count up, they’re trying to earn a job.”

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